Of clean hands and healthy living

Oct 11, 2012 15:32 IST

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Unicef works with Sarva Siksha Abhiyan and Integrated Child Development Services, to promote hygiene water and sanitation services in schools, Anganwadi and health centers to promote hygiene practices. Photo courtesy: Unicef

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Primary school pupils in a Gujarat village demonstrate steps of hand washing. Photo courtesy: Unicef

A school boy washes his hand before midday meal in a village primary school. Photo courtesy: Unicef

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Hand washing with soap at critical times is important for protecting the health of the whole family. By being a role model, mothers and caregivers can also help instil in thier children good habits. Photo courtesy: Unicef

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Hand washing by birth attendants before delivery has been shown to reduce mortality rates by 19% while a 4% reduction in risk of death was found if mothers washed their hands prior to handling their newborns. Photo courtesy: Unicef

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According to the Public Health Association, only 53% of the population wash hands with soap after defecation, 38% wash hands with soap before eating and only 30% wash hands with soap before preparing food. A schoolgirl washes her hands using the tippy tippy method at the middle school in Dehlot village in Rajasthan. Photo courtesy: Unicef

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Washing hands with soap, particularly after contact with excreta and before handling food, can reduce diarrhoeal diseases by over 40% and respiratory infections by 30%. Smarika, a teacher at the Khanjadipur primary school and anganwadi centre, demonstrates good handwashing practice to anganwadi children in UP. Photo courtesy: Unicef

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Hand washing with soap is one of most effective and affordable health interventions known to man. Over 80 countries including India and at least 200 million children, parents, teachers and citizens are soaping up today for 3rd Global Hand washing Day. Photo courtesy: Unicef